How moist is moist?

[Carkin]

I am wondering about Phals that are mounted. I know that Phal roots like to be moist but my mounted Phal roots get dry by the end of the day. Is that okay? Or should the roots be green even into the night? Thank you!

[-k-]

Soak em in the morning( a good watering), if bone dry at night water them again, if still slightly moist you'll probably be fine till the next morning...some drying out really won't affect them too much...that is unless you see the roots shriveling up then I'd say water morning and night...

[kmarch]

Orchids need what they need regardless of how they're being grown. Mounting often requires increased watering with phals.

[psyc1210]

I have a bunch of mounted Phals that get watered once a day. Mine are dry by the next watering, but they are not dry very long. They are still pretty damp at the end of the day.

[Carkin]

Thank you! I tend to be very heavy handed with my watering and that is why I decided to mount most of my Phals but I was a little worried now that they were being underwatered.
My sister lets her Phals dry out to the point that the leaves start looking dehydrated before she remembers to water them and yet they have tons of root growth and rebloom for her too.
Mine I baby and fuss over and yes the leaves look gorgeous but very little root growth and no flower spikes! So I am a little stumped as to what I am doing wrong...maybe I care too much!
But the roots are not shriveled, they and are firm and healthy so hopefully that means they are getting enough water.

[otis 226]

I spray my mounted Phals 2-3X during the hottest parts of the day. (It tends to get in the 90's out in my lanai where I keep them). I'll check them after dark, but they usually are still slightly damp. If not I'll give one more spritz. They are all dry by morning and ready for a good spray down.
Tony

[Carkin]

Originally Posted by otis 226

I spray my mounted Phals 2-3X during the hottest parts of the day. (It tends to get in the 90's out in my lanai where I keep them). I'll check them after dark, but they usually are still slightly damp. If not I'll give one more spritz. They are all dry by morning and ready for a good spray down.
Tony

Thank you Tony. Are yours bare mount? Is it okay for the leaves to be wet overnight?

[katrina]

Ditto JoBeth!! I water them once a day...they are dry by the next watering and they are all perfectly fine.

The only exception to my once a day rule is when the temps were near 100 this Summer...they would get an extra spraying during those times...but only those times.

[orchids4me]

I also echo psyc1210

[otis 226]

Originally Posted by Carkin

Thank you Tony. Are yours bare mount? Is it okay for the leaves to be wet overnight?

I don't usually leave the leaves wet overnight, just the sphag slightly moist, (they've all got a bit of sphag covering roots, which shouldn't be necessary once the roots take to the mounts well). Even so, the sphag is usually always bone dry by 7 or 8 a.m next morning, and no harm comes to the Phals. I do keep two fans on low all the time, so there's a fair amount of air movement out there.
Cheers,
Tony